Darwin game scores (4th Feb)

[Punk Rooster]

Well as I predicted If you don't win by 5 goals it don't really count. I'll take a 25 pt win (4 goals 1). Norths fitness has obviously come through, to double the margin in the last quarter.

That crowd is dissapointing, if it 4 700 that is roughly half the capacity of the oval.

Don't want to sound overly negative all the time but footy in Darwin hasn't developed in 15 years.

As I said previously if North couldn't beat that mob, they had some serious issues to overcome in two months prior to the start of the season....

I was there Tassie and I reckon Norf was lucky to win. NT won the midfield and then proceeded to either kick it on the chest of a Norf defender or pass off into the pocket. NT had more scoring shots but not only missed the hard ones but missed at least three less than 30 out. A decent key forward and NT would have trashed Norf.

Add to that - an unseasonally dry and coolish evening meant that Norf had conditions that should have suited them.

key words here... pre-season-practice match-iron out cobwebs.....

[ca]

A good win for North, esspecially given the conditions and the difference stages in match fitness ect.

[therisingblues]

Nice post Doggies4eva. At this stage of the year I'm pretty footy starved, and it was interesting to read another perspective on that game from somebody who was there.
A North fan who was previewing the game mentioned on this forum (or was it footysa?) that a group of champions would always lose to a "team" or something along those lines. After reading your post I would have to say that was the case. If the NT mob was to play with each other week in week out they would identify their weaknesses and improve.

P.S I have long been a fan of the NT filling the bye. I reckon if the Ghan, or some Airline that flies between Adelaide and Darwin were to sponsor the NT then it could be a possibility.

[am Bays]

[I was there Tassie and I reckon Norf was lucky to win. NT won the midfield and then proceeded to either kick it on the chest of a Norf defender or pass off into the pocket. Add to that - an unseasonally dry and coolish evening meant that Norf had conditions that should have suited them.

As I thought would happen, the NT league is all about getting the ball and missing the target. The team that makes the fewest mistakes in NT footy wins the game.

You can't make a silk purse out of pigs ear, or as my daddy would say, you can't polish a turd.

The skill level of the NT boys/league is A1 standard at best as a collective, in that they can get it but on the whole can't use it effectively. As I said before if North couldn't beat that lot they had a bit of work to do before the first game of the year....

Good on north for getting up there and playing a game and ironing out the cobwebs, at the minute they are ahead of the pack for with respect to their season's preparation.

Doggie I understand you live up there do you go to Marrara each week and watch the footy up there? If you did you would see that apart from a few individually brilliant players who can cut it at an AFl/SANFL level, the the bench of the NT team would be A2 standard at best, on a good day.....

D White hasn't played much footy this year, he has already had a five week holiday for arguing with umpires........

[doggies4eva]

Due to work and other commitments I don't go every week but I have seen enough of both the Darwin and Regional games to get a fair idea.

I agree with what you've said Tassie - the NT league tends to be based on individual brilliance rather than structured team plays. The reason why North won was they were more settled under pressure because of their discipline and training.

Having said that consider if that NT team trained together regularly and were able to recruit the odd interstate player to fill the gaps (key position players). They would probably be competitive (in the SANFL) after a season or two of coming to grips with travel and the additional pressure of the game.

This would be dependent on getting a decent sponsor, but the NT gov has recently chipped in quite a large sum of money to get a couple of NBL games a year up here. The block seems to be the AFL. I am disappointed that they don't show more leadership and develop the other leagues - after all thats where all of their players come from. It seems thay are content to let the Western Bulldogs play a game a year up here. Thats all very well but it isn't improving the standard of grass roots footy.

[Punk Rooster]

Due to work and other commitments I don't go every week but I have seen enough of both the Darwin and Regional games to get a fair idea.

I agree with what you've said Tassie - the NT league tends to be based on individual brilliance rather than structured team plays. The reason why North won was they were more settled under pressure because of their discipline and training.

Having said that consider if that NT team trained together regularly and were able to recruit the odd interstate player to fill the gaps (key position players). They would probably be competitive (in the SANFL) after a season or two of coming to grips with travel and the additional pressure of the game.

This would be dependent on getting a decent sponsor, but the NT gov has recently chipped in quite a large sum of money to get a couple of NBL games a year up here. The block seems to be the AFL. I am disappointed that they don't show more leadership and develop the other leagues - after all thats where all of their players come from. It seems thay are content to let the Western Bulldogs play a game a year up here. Thats all very well but it isn't improving the standard of grass roots footy.

Imo, the AFL can throw as much money as they like into NSW & Qld, but it is throwing good money after bad. They'd be better off spending money in NT, WA, SA, Tas & Vic. We can't "buy" the loyalty their fans have to League/Union. Having a half decent team on the park is the best thing they can have. It wil take generations to achieve the change that is required there, even then, perhaps they don't want AFL footy? You could make me watch Basketball til I was blue in the face, I still would not be interested in Basketball. The AFL's stubborn pride is hindering their thought process, methinks. As they say "Pride cometh before a fall"

[RoosterMarty]

I havent been home from the airport for very long. It was a great game of footy to watch in fine conditions, we were too big and strong for the NT but they had some extremely quick players.
Not sure about us getting "trashed" if they had kicked straight, they did miss some sitters which hurt them but we looked the better, cleaner side. Considering they are gearing up for the finals and this is our first hit out since last years finals, we did very well. The team we used was far from full strength, with players like Alleway, Cox, Banger and Tubby still to come into the side.
It was a very messy night though, quite a few drinks were downed and the next morning wasnt the best.
Sensational trip though, everybody had a great time and we would love to do this again, if not next year then the year after.

[am Bays]

Due to work and other commitments I don't go every week but I have seen enough of both the Darwin and Regional games to get a fair idea.

I agree with what you've said Tassie - the NT league tends to be based on individual brilliance rather than structured team plays. The reason why North won was they were more settled under pressure because of their discipline and training.

Having said that consider if that NT team trained together regularly and were able to recruit the odd interstate player to fill the gaps (key position players). They would probably be competitive (in the SANFL) after a season or two of coming to grips with travel and the additional pressure of the game.

This would be dependent on getting a decent sponsor, but the NT gov has recently chipped in quite a large sum of money to get a couple of NBL games a year up here. The block seems to be the AFL. I am disappointed that they don't show more leadership and develop the other leagues - after all thats where all of their players come from. It seems thay are content to let the Western Bulldogs play a game a year up here. Thats all very well but it isn't improving the standard of grass roots footy.

Imo, the AFL can throw as much money as they like into NSW & Qld, but it is throwing good money after bad. They'd be better off spending money in NT, WA, SA, Tas & Vic. We can't "buy" the loyalty their fans have to League/Union. Having a half decent team on the park is the best thing they can have. It wil take generations to achieve the change that is required there, even then, perhaps they don't want AFL footy? You could make me watch Basketball til I was blue in the face, I still would not be interested in Basketball. The AFL's stubborn pride is hindering their thought process, methinks. As they say "Pride cometh before a fall"

One big reason why the AFL pumps sh!t loads of money into NSW and QLD compared to the NT, 12 million people v 200 000

And Doggies having worked at NT Sport and Rec for the past five years up until July last year, I know the AFL NT would be dead and burried if it wasn't for the AFL. The kick in for Thunder program big time, it is well and truly over six figures.

The AFl are right behind NT footy, provided it meets the KPI of two draftees a year........

[Wedgie]

I saw Wedgie got his ugly dial on the ABC news tonight

Would these be the images Pseudo?
Its my good mate Shaun Cooper, Ian was smart enough to get us all to pitch in to buy him a guernsey and I took him into the changerooms after the game and got every player/coach to sign it, he was a top guy who was cockahoop about the Mighty Roosters!
He's the full back for the Wanderers B Grade.

[am Bays]

I saw Wedgie got his ugly dial on the ABC news tonight

Would these be the images Pseudo?
Its my good mate Shaun Cooper, Ian was smart enough to get us all to pitch in to buy him a guernsey and I took him into the changerooms after the game and got every player/coach to sign it, he was a top guy who was cockahoop about the Mighty Roosters!
He's the full back for the Wanderers B Grade.

ebony and ivory....live together in perfect harmony....

Or as Mandawuy Yunipingu sings..

Yongu, Balanda, Balanda, Yongu, this is Australia!

[Wedgie]

Im glad there's a photo of my NT AFL stubby holder as I bought 4 and lost all of them!!

[am Bays]

Seriously Wedgie, did Shaun say where he is from, a lot of Beluyen blokes play for Wanderers....

Wanderers coached by ex Glenelg player Mark Motlop, played every game in 85 except for the GF.....Got to get a Glenelg plug in on another North thread......

[Wedgie]

Seriously Wedgie, did Shaun say where he is from, a lot of Beluyen blokes play for Wanderers....

Wanderers coached by ex Glenelg player Mark Motlop, played every game in 85 except for the GF.....Got to get a Glenelg plug in on another North thread......

Yep, Shaun Cooper was a very proud Wanderers player, he plays full back for their B Grade. I also met another lovely chap called Simon who I managed to get past security and get some pics taken with the 2 Jarmans.

I'm going to send Shaun up the pics I took and another Roosters guernsey (real one, not the one off) and Simon actually broke my heart saying he plays footy at a lower grade but his club can't afford a footy for trainig and they kick a bag full of socks around, I promised to send him a brand new footy up.

Awesome trip, I'm uploading 22 of the 250 pics (random) I took in Darwin now which will be on the Roost. Once in a lifetime trip, absolute ball, time of my life. Could not have been better.

[Wedgie]

PS Small versions of the first 22 pics I've uploaded can be seen on the Roost here:

http://www.rocketrooster.com/NAFC/Forum/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=3282